Target.



Patented Feb. 5, |90I. W. G. SMITH.

` TA R G E T (Application led Oct, 1 1 1900.)

(No Model.)

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WITNESSES: W Q` Mll/M A NErs ldinrrnn FFICE.

WILLIAM G. SMITH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TARGET.

E5l?l;(IJ-IFICAJJJIONv:forming part of Letters Patent N o. 667,592, dated February 5, 1901.

Application filed October l1, 1900. Serial No. 32,727. (No model.)

T0 @ZZ wumt it pta/y concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM G. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, (Glendale,) borough of Queens, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved 'l`arget,of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a target representing pigeons in Hight and totake the place, therefore, of live pigeons usually employed by sportsmen-in trials of marksmanship.

This specification is a specific description of one form of my invention, while the claims are definitions of the actual scope thereof.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specication, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure lis a perspective View of the invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the tar'- get proper. Fig. 3 is a side view thereof with parts in section; and Fig. 4 is a face view of the body plate of the target proper, showing the tripping-levers thereof.

Referring to Fig. l, a and b represent two posts planted upright in the ground. To the post a is fulcrumed at its middle a lever c, connected by rods d with a hand bell-crank lever c, fulcrumed at the base of the post a, so that by manually operating the lever e the lever c may be rocked, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. l. Stout wires or rodsf are attached, respectively, to the ends of the lever c and extend to the post Z), the wires or rods converging toward each other and being joined tothe post by aswivel g. These wires or rods form tracks on which run the targets proper, (indicated at h in Fig. l.) These targets are arranged to run on the tracks f by gravity. Assuming that the parts are in the position shown in Fig. l, it will be seen that one of the tracks f is inclined downward from the lever c and the other track is inclined upward therefrom. Accordingly one of the targets will be in motion downward toward the post b and the other target in motion downward toward the post a. When one target reaches the post b and the other the post CZ, by reversing the position of the lever c the respective targets may be returned to their previous positions, and by keeping up the motion of the lever c the targets may be caused to travel back and forth continuously, thus oering a fair shot to the marksman, since the movements of the targets usually simulate the flight of a bird. The targets h are here shown in the figure of a bird and are preferably constructed of stout metal, so as to stand the impact of the shot. These targets are mounted on a back cr body plate 'L' by means of pins v1', which project forwardly from the plate and pass through openings in the target h, the heads of the pins engaging the front of the target to prevent the displacement of the target. Expansive springs i2 are interposed between the target h and plate t' and surround the pins i', so as to hold the target pressed outward, as shown in Fig. 3. The plate vi is provided with guides i3, which slide on a rod la. The rod is provided with a trolley-wheel Zt' at its top, which runs on the track f. The body-plate fi, carrying the target h, is freely movable on the rod k and is held by a stud Z' of the lever Z, which lever is fulcru med to the body-plate, the stud projecting through an opening 114 in the body-plate (see Fig. 4) and engaging with a corresp0nd ing opening 7a2 in the rod Za. (See the dotted lines in Fig. 3.) A spring Z2 bears against the lever Z to press the stud Z' through the opening 'i4 and into the opening k2. By this means the target h and the attached parts are held against the upper end of the rod k against the force of gravity. The free end of the leverZ bears against the back of the target h, and when the target is pushed inward by a shot the stud Z of the lever Z is moved out of the opening k2 in the rod Zt, and then the target, with the parts attached, drop down on the rod 7c, thus representing the fall of a bird when it is shot.

' For the purpose-of communicating to the lever Z the force of a shot striking at any point on the target h I provide a number, preferably three, of auxiliary levers m, which are fulcrunied to the back-plate t', and all of which engage the' target h at one end and at the other end engage under the broad extension Z3 of vthe lever Z.4 These leversm project in diverse directions and engage the target at different points, so that no matter at what point the target is struck the force of the Ioo shot is communicated eiectually to th'e lever l a target proper carried to move thereon` and Z, and the stud Z is withdrawn from the opening t2 and the target drops to the lower end of the rod la, its fall being arrested by the laterally-turned lower end 7c3 of the rod.

For the purpose of further increasing the realistic etect of the target and assisting in denoting that the target has been struck I provide the lower one of the guides s of the plate t' with a projection i5, which is placed just over the end k3 of the rod c and which serves to carry a cartridge n or the like. As the target drops the cartridge n is carried down and its cap engages with a tiring-pin 7a4 on the end 7c3 of the rod 7c, thus exploding the powder within the cartridge. This cartridge should be loaded with the feathers of a bird or with some material representing bird-feath ers, and when the powder is exploded the feathers are blown into the air. This gives the target. the appearance of an actual bird struck by a shot, the bird not only dropping asin death, but the feathers falling from the bird as it falls. p

Various changes in the form, proportions, and minor details of my invention may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. Hence I consider myself entitled to all such variations as may lie within the scope of my claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. A target, comprising a supporting-bar,

devices for releasably holding the target stationary on the bar.

2. The combination of a target, means on which the target is mounted to move, and devices controlled by the impact of a shot on the target to releasably hold the target stational-y on said means.

3. The combination of a vertically-disposed bar', a body sliding thereon, a target yieldingly carried on the body, and alever mountf ed on the body, one end of the lever engaging the target, and the otherend of the lever having a device to' releasably hold the body stationary on the bar.

4. The combination of a bar, a target mounted to move thereon, a cartridge-holder connected with the target to move therewith, and a tiring device for the cartridge, such device being carried by the bar.

5. In a target, the combination of two part-s connected to move relatively upon being struck by a shot, a cartridge-holder carried on one member, and a tiring device carried on the other member, for the purpose speciied.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witn esses.

WILLIAM G. SilII'lI-I.

Witnesses FRANK BURRoWs, OHAS. FISHER. 

